The buildup of sebum in the hair together with soil attracted to the hair from the surrounding atmosphere causes the hair to have an unattractive appearance. Shampooing the hair removes the dirt and sebum; however, frequent shampooing can leave the hair tangled and therefore difficult to comb. Additional undesirable effects of frequent shampooing include dry hair and/or scalp. This can prove particularly problematic for color treated, bleached, permed and/or otherwise damaged hair. To solve these problems a wide variety of products has been developed for use in conditioning the hair, including moisturizing components in shampoos and post-shampoo hair conditioners. There is of course a large number of different hair conditioning products currently on the market providing adequate initial conditioning to the hair. Heretofore, however, it has been difficult in the field to provide long lasting moisturization to the hair, and to do so without leaving the hair with a greasy look or feel.
The present invention meets the demand for hair conditioning products which achieve long lasting moisturization whether delivered through a cleansing or a conditioning system. Unexpectedly, the shampoos developed according to the present invention effectively cleanse the hair while providing copious foam and moisturization throughout the process. Moreover, the products of the invention also meet the consumer demand for products utilizing plant-based ingredients.
A common method of providing a conditioning benefit has been the use of cationic surfactants such as cellulose derivatives, for example, cationic quaternary ammonium compounds, such as polyquaternium compounds, for example, Polyquaternium-10, which form polymer-surfactant complexes or coacervates with surfactants, which precipitate on hair, making it softer, smoother and easier to comb. Cationic surfactants are those in which the surfactant activity resides in the positively charged cation portion of the molecule. The cationic surfactants are therefore attracted to the negatively charged hair surface and, because of their relatively low solubility and high molecular weight, are thermodynamically driven to leave the aqueous environment of the shampoo and deposit on the hair. These characteristics make cationic surfactants such as quaternary ammonium compounds particularly suited to the treatment of human hair. Thus, many hair conditioning products are based on quaternary ammonium compounds. The inventors have surprisingly discovered, however, that the cationic ingredients in the compositions of the present invention act as carriers in aqueous systems optimizing the other components to deliver attributes through superior enhanced moisturization which effect a moisturized feel, softness, brilliance, suppleness and smooth combing of the hair, both wet and dry. It is contemplated that the present invention may be used in cleansing, conditioning and treatment products for the scalp, hair and body.